The answer is, sadly, no. No, most "aphrodisiacs" don't actually work. Apparently our ancient ancestors believed the banana, carrot, cucumber, asparagus, figs, and oyster would increase sex drive simply because they looked like sex organs. (I don't really understand the oyster similarity myself, and I think I am slightly offended by the suggestion that the female vulva looks like nothing but a pile of sticky, gooey flesh.) They also thought eating the testicles of "virile" animals such as bulls and goats would produce the same effect, but hey, try it if you want to!
The good news if, some so-called aphrodisiacs actually do work. Not, as some of you may assume, because they look like dicks and pussies, but because they happen to contain some chemicals (dopamine that makes us happy), hormones (testosterone or estrogen that makes us horny), inhibitors (alcohol that makes us more likely to say yes), or scents (pumpkin, licorice, or lavender that increases blood flow to the genitals) that make us hornier, happier, or just more likely to say, "Heck yeah!"
So what foods might get you and your honey's blood pumping? Read on...
- Fruits: bananas are high in zinc, which get men's blood pumping, and papayas contain estrogen, which can help increase female libido
- Veggies: asparagus has vitamin E, which helps produce sex hormones. The scent of cucumbers, according to one study, increases vaginal blood flow in women (I'm not sure if this would work for women like me, who don't like the taste of cucumbers?). And chili peppers and other spicy foods have a dual effect: first, they hike up circulation, sweating, and heart rate to get blood pumping more forcefully; second, they release capscaicin, which relieves pain and releases the "happy chemicals" endorphins.
- Proteins: I can't really call this category "meats" since the only two contestants are caviar and shellfish. Yes, you heard right, the famous oysters are actually aphrodisiacs! Well, sort of. If you stretch it a bit. Okay, so caviar (fish eggs) and oysters are both high in zinc, which is important in the production of testosterone. Testosterone makes the sex drive higher in both men and women.
- Alcohols: Well, the truth is, any alcohol (in small quantites) will boost confidence and decrease inhibitions. Champagne is considered the most "romantic" drink, and a small amount will make you feel relaxed and warm. Many people get a lot hornier when they drink alcohol (I do!). But be careful, because if you drink too much, you go past the horny phrase straight into the drowsy stage. Zzzzz.....
- What? Oh, yeah, desserts. Happily, chocolate makes the list! Not only is it romantic and sweet, but chocolate makes people happy. Its chemicals stimulate us, give us a slight high, makes us feel happy, and relaxe us.
Want some sexy and simple recipes to create a hot, sex-friendly meal? Read my post, Simple and Sexy Aphrodisiac Recipes.
Of course, there are many non-food aphrodisiacs as well.
One is scent. Anyone with an acute sense of smell can tell you how much scent is a turn-on or turn-off. I am super sensitive to smells, and a really, really good cologne worn by a stranger on the street can make me instantly horny. Unfortunately, I've only found about four scents in the world that do that to me, and I have no idea what their names are. :( Thus far I have managed to avoid jumping and raping any of these strange men. Also, pumpkin and lavender are supposed to turn men on, and licorice and cucumber supposedly turn women on (I doubt this would work for me, as I detest licorice, cucumber, and lavender!)
Another is exercise. Or watching scary movies. Or wrestling. Or a tickling war. Or a good, long, stressful, all-out-yelling fight. Or having an adrenaline rush (from excitement or fear).
Are you getting the point? Anything that gets your heart rate up, blood pumping, and adrenaline coursing can be turned into heated arousal, because the physical characteristics are so similar. This is why dating magazines advise you to try watching a scary movie with your girlfriend or have a good, long wrestling match. This is why people have incredibly hot, wild make-up sex after huge fights. If you can get blood pumping, it's a good thing. While I don't recommend you set the mood by watching a blood-n-guts thriller or jumping out and scaring your partner (this gives me panic attacks and frankly just ticks me off), some wrestling, jogging, boxing, or other exercise might not be a bad idea. Or, just pick a fight. Whatever.
Another, and the most powerful, aphrodisiac is the brain. That's right, this is where we set the mood and send the signals to your body to let it know, "It's time." The power of thought is the reason some foods, which in fact do little or nothing for your sex drive, appear to increase it anyway. This is why a man who's been watching his partner's butt all night is horny, and why a woman who's been reading a romance novel wants to hop in bed. Your mind is your most powerful aphrodisiac! There are a multitude of ways to stimulate the mind to make your partner horny: talking dirty, writing a love letter, watching sexy movies together, writing erotica for them detailing what you want to do to them in great detail, talking about your fantasies, teasing each other, and setting the stage with lights, music, candles, perfume, romantic foods, soft fabrics, and sexy lingerie.
Life is an aphrodisiac. Get busy.
Resources:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/holidayandpartyrecipes/a/aphrodisiacs.htm
http://health.discovery.com/centers/sex/aphrodisiacs/foods.html
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